"Chelsea the club didn’t interest me. Neither did Inter Milan, neither did Real Madrid, because I was already working for a fantastic football club.

"But when the opportunity comes to work with the best manager in the world at the time it’s only normal that a player turns his head, especially when you’ve got a distant relationship with the manager that you’re playing for and you’re not really sure what the club want to do with you.”

Frosty relationship: Gerrard and Rafa Benitez (Image: Action Images)

He added: “I always had the fear that he [Rafa] may move me on from being a Liverpool player from time to time so I always wanted to prove to the supporters, to Rafa and his staff that I belonged at Liverpool and that I was one of his better players that he needed.”

Gerrard left Liverpool in the summer when he headed across the pond to join MLS side LA Galaxy.

However, he was followed out the Anfield exit door by Brendan Rodgers, who was axed after a poor start to the season.